


A Learning Experience

by Clytemnestrasrevenge, MonsterBoyf



Category: VIXX
Genre: A Gaggle of Gays, Alternate Universe - College/University, Explicit Sexual Content, Jaehwan is a Mess, M/M, Miscommunication, Multi, Polyamory, Professors, Self-Discovery, Teacher-Student Relationship, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:23:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22840141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clytemnestrasrevenge/pseuds/Clytemnestrasrevenge, https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonsterBoyf/pseuds/MonsterBoyf
Summary: Jaehwan didn't expect his crush on his professor to be reciprocated, and he especially didn't expect this.(MonsterBoyf for Neo, Nestra for Jaehwan)
Relationships: Cha Hakyeon | N/Jung Taekwoon | Leo, Cha Hakyeon | N/Lee Jaehwan | Ken, Jung Taekwoon | Leo/Lee Jaehwan | Ken
Comments: 19
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Nestra- Say hello to our new baby!!!!!!!!!! Nontraditional relationship exploration is my new favorite subject sorry not sorry
> 
> The tweet that inspired it all:
>
>> ┌(`з´)ㄱ [pic.twitter.com/y4BwMUg0Px](https://t.co/y4BwMUg0Px)
>> 
>> — jazzy (@wtf_starlight) [February 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/wtf_starlight/status/1229543865922850819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

“Excuse me professor, do you have a second?”

Hakyeon turned back to his student. The others were already packing up, if they hadn't already gathered their things and left. The student, Jaehwan, was still in his dancing shoes, and loose clothes. He always came in dressed in either obscenely bright shorts or track pants, with a tank top and dramatically oversized hoodie over top. Hakyeon smiled, turning to face him.

"Of course, what do you need?" Jaehwan was by no means little. He was taller than Hakyeon, but the way he shrunk into himself after Hakyeon spoke reminded the dance professor of a little boy.

Jaehwan watched his teacher walk towards him, a kind smile on his gorgeous face, lithe limbs swaying as he moved. The picture of controlled grace. It was very difficult for Jaehwan to keep his breathing steady when the entirety of Professor Cha’s attention was on him. Like being stared down by a very, very, _very_ sexy tiger. 

“Uhh- I was just, you know, having trouble with the plie, and I wondered if you had any extra time to give me some tips?"

"Ah! Of course. Let me just-" Hakyeon moved to his desk, flipping over his phone and looking at it. One text from Taekwoon saying he was going to run a little late, perfect. Hakyeon turned it back over and returned to Jaehwan. "That'll work out just fine." He stepped to the middle of the room, standing to face the floor to ceiling mirrors. He waved over a seemingly timid Jaehwan, having him stand beside him. He turned his heels inward, easy as breathing air, and told Jaehwan to do the same, watching his feet carefully. He stared directly rather than through the mirror. Hakyeon bent his knees very simply. Jaehwan copied the movement. "That seems good to me." Hakyeon stepped forward, then turned so he leaned against the mirrors. Jaehwan blinked as Hakyeon looked at him with his arms crossed. "Again."

Jaehwan dipped down again, trying to run his hand through his hair as he did so to keep it out of his eyes, and promptly lost his balance. Falling face first into the mirror. Like a giraffe on roller skates. _Great._

“Ow, fuck,” he hissed, rubbing his nose with his palm. Oh, wait shit, he’d just sworn in front of his teacher! Double fuck!

“Sorry, professor, I didn’t mean to curse, it just- ouch.”

His professor looked at him with concern, but Jaehwan tried to play it cool.

“I paid a lot for this nose, don’t wanna break it.”

"It's fine, dear." Hakyeon offered a hand to pull him up, one Jaehwan took. Once he was back on his feet, Hakyeon moved to stand behind him. A nudge from his toes had Jaehwan placing his feet in position again. "You lost form moving your hair. It's a concentration game. Not that I think you don't know that if you've been in my class." He snorted at his own little quip. He took Jaehwan's hands and had him bend. The professor was basically acting as the handlebar they used on the wall opposite the mirror. "See you do well when-"

The door to the class opened, both blinking at the new guest. Jaehwan's stage production professor, Mr. Jung. He moved to take one step and Hakyeon was instantly on his case.

"Set one foot on my floor in those shoes and I skin you." He blinked, before slipping off his dress shoes. Jaehwan looked to Hakyeon behind him, who was _still_ holding Jaehwan's hands and allowing Jaehwan only the smallest professional amount of space.

He could die happy now, Jaehwan thought, clinging to Professor Cha’s hand and watching Professor Jung cross the room on silent socked feet. Both of his inappropriate crushes breathing the same air. And breathing the same air as Jaehwan.

“Hi Professor,” he squeaked, making a conscious effort not to fuck with his hair even though he wanted to. Nervous tick.

“It’s nice to see you off stage, Mr. Lee.”

Professor Cha helped him plie again and it wasn’t as hard to ease into the knee bend this time. Maybe because his knees had gone weak at the sight of Professor Jung Taekwoon.

"Ignore him. We had a plan." He straightened Jaehwan out again. "Loosen up. Tensing makes the bend more difficult." Jaehwan kicked out his leg, keeping his eyes cast down.

"Sorry…"

"It's fine, dear. Try again." Jaehwan bent at the knee, aware that both professors were looking at him. Hakyeon looking via the mirror and Taekwoon staring at him head on. "You don't have to hover, dear. I'll be home," Hakyeon spoke to Taekwoon, but without his focus breaking. A performer's skill. Taekwoon waved him off, taking a seat.

"I'm not hovering."

"You are very much hovering. What if Jaehwan has performance anxiety?" Now he looked to Taekwoon. Jaehwan saw his smile through the mirror. He was teasing.

"He has a major in performing arts, Hakyeon," Taekwoon shot back flatly. Hakyeon laughed. He focused back on Jaehwan.

"You're doing great. Can you do it without me?"

The thing about that was Jaehwan did, actually, have performance anxiety. Sort of. He was fine one he was actually on stage and had a rhythm going, but the process of getting to that point made him sweat bullets. And having both professors watch him make a fool of himself was making Jaehwan start to sweat.

He kept his eyes glued resolutely on his own feet.

“You two live together, Professor?” Jaehwan asked, addressing Hakyeon but only realizing that was unclear once the words were out of his mouth. “Professor Cha, or you, Professor Jung. it applies to both of you. Actually, just never mind.”

“Call me Taekwoon, love, it’ll make things easier,” Professor Jung replied, a small kind smile spreading across his face.

Jaehwan just about died.

"Yes, for- is it five or six years, dear?" Hakyeon had Jaehwan bend one more time with him as a support before stepping back.

"Five."

"Yes, so it's still rather recent."

"It doesn't feel like it." Taekwoon was looking past Jaehwan, thousand-yard stare instead landing on Hakyeon. The dance teacher smiled at him simply, before returning his attention to Jaehwan's form. Jaehwan was having issue sneaking peeks now that Hakyeon wasn't his counterbalance.

"Why do you ask, Jaehwan?" The student stumbled but caught himself before busting his nose open this time.

“Oh- no reason really, I talk when I'm nervous,” Jaehwan replied, wobbling a little as he lowered himself into position without Professor Cha’s helping hand.

“We make you nervous?”

Jaehwan felt his ears flame up, blood rushing to his head so fast that he collapsed on his knees with a gasp.

“Yes,” he breathed, mortified, kneeling on the dance studio floor and staring up into Professor Cha’s smile.

"That wasn't the intention." He squatted down beside Jaehwan. "Your legs are shaking each time. We can stop and continue before class tomorrow if you would like. I promise it will be just us." A sharp look was sent Taekwoon's way. He was unaffected, still sitting cross legged on the floor with arms crossed. Hakyeon looked back to his student, smiling in hopes to comfort. He seemed a little too red for such a simple move.

“Yeah! I mean yes for sure, that’ll be fine. If you can spare the time, I mean, otherwise I can bully my roommate into helping me. He’s great at dancing.”

Jaehwan shuffled around, managing to keep his hoodie tied around his waist without falling as he did so, but the strap- _sleeve?_ Whatever it was called, the thing that stopped his tank top from falling off slipped down his shoulder. It was the only time in living memory that Lee Jaehwan regretted wearing oversized clothing. He ended up exposing the entire right side of his chest from his shoulder to sternum, slapping his hands over his pectorals in some weird parody of the classic _‘oh no, I’m a pornstar and my top just fell off’_ pose.

Professor Cha took pity on him and settled the strap thing back on his shoulder, apparently not noticing Jaehwan’s blush.

Hakyeon barely had the amount of self-control it took to not grin at Jaehwan, at the silliness of his reaction. Taekwoon had actually snorted when the youngest had slapped hands over his own chest. Hakyeon held Jaehwan by the biceps, grip loose.

"I'll gladly help. Just come about half an hour earlier, okay?" Jaehwan was holding onto his shirt like it might blow off if he didn't have a death grip on it. He nodded sharply. _Cute,_ Hakyeon thought fondly. Taekwoon cleared his throat and Hakyeon looked to him briefly before then realizing his hands still clasping Jaehwan's arms. He slipped them into his jogger pockets.

✄✄✄✄✄

Jaehwan arrived at Professor Cha’s dance studio half an hour early, as instructed, two paper cups of coffee from the campus cafe clasped in his hands and backpack slung over one shoulder. He’d debated whether or not to get them for nearly a full ten minutes, walking to the door of the cafe and then walking away again roughly twelve times before going in.

He’d gotten them for two reasons. First, because his professor was going out of his way to help Jaehwan and spending free time on him, so bringing something to show his appreciation was the polite thing to do. And second, because he’d needed a way to slip his professor his cell number without it being obvious or direct. The number was written on both cups, so it wouldn't look weird. The whole scheme had been his roommate, Wonshik’s, idea. After recounting the details of yesterday's embarrassing disaster, Wonshik had shed light on the fact that all the touching and pet names may have been an indicator that Jaehwan’s lustful feelings were returned, something that had never occurred to Jaehwan once.

Jaehwan knocked on the studio door with his foot and then pushed it open with his elbow, dance shoes squeaking as he stepped onto the immaculately polished floor.

“Professor Cha?”

Hakyeon dropped his foot back onto the ground, putting his leg down. It had been stretched completely behind him, toes resting on the back-wall’s handlebar.

"Jaehwan! You're," he checked the silver watch he always wore on his wrist, an anniversary gift from Taekwoon, "exactly on time." Jaehwan dropped his backpack onto the ground in the corner, awkwardly standing with both cups in hand. Hakyeon grinned. "You didn't have to do that, dear."

Holding out one cup like he was trying to supplicate an angry god, Jaehwan glued his eyes to his feet. At least it was easier than having Professor Jung there as well. Only one set of eyes at a time was plenty.

“Just set those down dear, we can drink after we stretch.”

Shit, the plan was failing already. But stretching was good, it was great, actually. If he managed not to go into cardiac arrest from watching-

Professor Cha dropped into the smoothest side split Jaehwan had ever seen. No preamble, no warning, just slid his feet out from under him. Jaehwan hiccupped.

"I hope you don't mind that I started before you got here. It takes work to be as limber as some of you some days," Hakyeon spoke through a laugh. Jaehwan awkwardly arranged himself to do the same beside him. He had struggled with splits when he first came in, still did if Hakyeon watching from the back of the class was anything to go by, but he managed. Hakyeon bent forward, reaching to his toes. It was only because he had these classes and stretched every day that he had stayed this flexible.

"Don't- don't say that," Jaehwan managed as he reached for his own toes. "You can only be like, 30, max."

"Thank you, for at least not saying something like 'really hot fifty.'" Hakyeon unfurled and then bent the other direction, head back and chest up towards the ceiling.

Jaehwan could feel himself sweating. If not physically, then he was definitely sweating both mentally and emotionally. But, he mused, pointedly not staring at his professors pointed toe encroaching on his personal space, this was going about as well as could be expected. At least his stupid shirt hadn’t fallen off today. The choice to trade his tank top for a loose long sleeve shirt had been a good one.

“So,” Jaehwan started, deciding to be brave and test the waters a bit, “Do you ever- uh- you know since you're so young...”

Wow. He’d forgotten how to form questions. They both stood up and Professor Cha instructed him to touch his toes. Maybe wearing such a large shirt had been a horrible mistake after all, since it fell down to his armpits and over his head as soon as he bent over. Jaehwan hastily tried to tuck it into his sweatpants without strangling himself.

“Do I do what, since I’m so young?”

Jaehwan gulped.

“Do you ever... like, hang out with people?”

"Even raggedy theater professors have friends, dear," Hakyeon replied in amusement. Jaehwan called him _young_. Sure, Hakyeon wasn't called such things as 'hag' like certified 'grandpa in a 30-year old's body' Taekwoon, but he also wasn't considered with his students as a 'young person'. "Half fold right leg," he instructed, watching Jaehwan move from touching his toes to basically shoving his face in his right knee. First years humorously called it 'standing foldy chair' when he taught it. No view of Jaehwan's spine this time, now that his shirt was tucked. He set his hand on the younger's back, just pressing fingertips. "Switch." Jaehwan obediently switched to his left leg. His back muscles were taught. "Release." Jaehwan slowly unfurled, standing up straight. Hakyeon's hand stayed on his back. "Unless, friends weren't what you meant." Hakyeon smiled, watching Jaehwan's expression twist.

The emotional sweating had intensified as soon as his professor touched him and Jaehwan fought not to wince.

“I don’t know, friends, not friends, the- the _hanging out_ part is really what I was- actually, never mind,” he spluttered, already trying to think of all the ways he’d curse out Wonshik as soon as he escaped. This had been such a stupid idea.

Professor Cha put a hand under his chin, crooking a finger and lifting Jaehwan’s head up so they could look each other in the eye.

“If you’re asking whether or not I spend private time with students, it’s been known to happen. Occasionally. And only for my _special_ favorites.”

The words had been accompanied by a smug little grin and Jaehwan gulped.

“Am I- one of your special favorites?” he asked, cheeks flaming and heart fluttering against his ribcage. Had the room gotten hotter? Jaehwan could swear it was at least five degrees warmer than it had been a minute ago.

“Do you want to be?”

It took a concentrated effort to meet his professors gaze without flinching. Or fainting. Or just flat out dying from the intensity behind his lovely eyes.

“Yes,” he managed, skin burning where his professors’ fingers brushed his cheek.

“Do you really?”

“Yeah, yeah really. I wrote my number on your coffee cup and everything but- _huh...”_

Jaehwan’s breath left him in a rush as the elder backed him up against the mirror, slim fingers finding Jaehwan’s waist under the hem of his shirt.

“Is that why you’re always so nervous around me?”

“Mostly, yeah, you’re also intimidatingly talented, Professor,” Jaehwan panted, watching the elder’s smug smile widen.

“Please, call me Hakyeon.”

Jaehwan was somehow so tiny, so easy to hold, and apparently push around. Hakyeon liked that trait, that itty bitty fragility, and Jaehwan's eyes looking up at him now were exactly that.

"Hakyeon," Jaehwan replied, not with any confidence or charm. More of a breathless whisper. Hakyeon nodded his head once, then dropped a peck on his lips. Simple, chaste.

He didn't stop at one. He tried to, truly, but there was a soft little sigh that left Jaehwan at the first that he had to give more, more impactful kisses. Jaehwan was now pressed firmly up against the glass that Hakyeon tried so hard to keep smudge free. It didn't really matter now though, now that Hakyeon had his hands on an adorably weak Jaehwan and was licking at his lip. Jaehwan held onto his t-shirt in fists, _tight_ fists that started to pull Hakyeon in closer the more the kiss progressed. Despite the urging, it was languid. Hakyeon was savoring, not feasting. Jaehwan's side felt soft and warm, not quite muscular but not skin and bones. Sliding the hand proved what the stretching had, a strong back. Hakyeon's fingertips graced bones and Jaehwan arched off the glass and into Hakyeon. Grasping his shirt was traded out to instead wrap fingers in Hakyeon's hair. It worked just as successfully to pull him in. Hakyeon was not giving as quick and rough as Jaehwan wanted. Instead of moving further up, Hakyeon slid his hand down, following the curve of his spine to grasp-

Hakyeon easily stepped away at a laugh heard outside the door. He smoothed down his hair as he moved to collect the two cups of coffee, and he walked decidedly past a weak Jaehwan who had melted into the floor.

Jaehwan fought to slow his breathing and banish the flush from his face, resisting the very strong urge to fan himself as his classmates began trickling into the room. He was already sitting so he leaned forward and grabbed at one of his feet, hoping that it would look like he was sitting there because he was stretching. Not because he’d just been kissed breathless and had literally fallen over from the pleasure of it.

He chanced a glance up and caught Hakyeon’s eye, nearly choking on his own spit as the elder smiled at him over the rim of the coffee cup.

✄✄✄✄✄

"Junho invited me out," Taekwoon announced flatly between bites of dinner, turning off his phone. Hakyeon looked up from his own plate.

"Oh?" Taekwoon nodded.

"He got cast and wants to celebrate." Hakyeon gave his husband an easy smirk.

"And it won't get out of hand?" Taekwoon kicked him under the table, pouting.

"Be quiet, you know he'll probably fall asleep at nine." Hakyeon laughed, nodding. He reached across the table to hold Taekwoon's hand sweetly.

"Go ahead, love. I'll be fine." Taekwoon stared a moment, studied Hakyeon's profile from his carefully parted dark hair to his perfect jawline. He was looking down at his plate again, eating the dinner Taekwoon had made for the both of them. There was still some on the stove, enough to share another plate. Taekwoon licked his lips.

"Why don't you have some company?" Hakyeon raised a brow.

"Taeky, I'm perfectly capable of being alone. Just because I've had you so long-"

"Invite Jaehwan over." Hakyeon jerked his head back, blinking. When he didn't see Taekwoon waver, he relaxed into a smirk, a smug expression making his eyes crinkle in amusement.

"What do you have planned, Taeky?" Taekwoon stood, taking his plate with him towards the sink.

"Nothing. You'll just have the house to yourself, and I think that's a good way to use the opportunity." He dried his hands, then came back to Hakyeon. He stood behind his husband, arms wrapping around his neck and nose buried in his hair. "I can't say I'll stick to that promise though if he's here in the morning." Hakyeon laughed.

"I _knew_ it!" Hakyeon could see Taekwoon's evil grin now.

"It's _our_ bed, love. It's only fair we share what's in it." Hakyeon shoved his husband away when he came over, giggling.

"Go to your silly party already, jealous."

Jaehwan’s phone vibrated on his desk, making him start. When had it gotten dark out? Actually, when had Wonshik stopped snoring? Was Wonshik even here?

The phone vibrated again and Jaehwan snatched it up. Maybe Wonshik was offering to bring him food.

No. Nope, that wasn’t it.

** Unknown Number: **

**Received 7:42 PM**

_‘Jaehwan, it’s Hakyeon. I was wondering if you’d like to come over for dinner, if you haven't eaten that is. Let me know, I'd love to see you.’_

Wow. Hakyeon texted like an old person. _Dinner._ Dinner could mean so many different things and Jaehwan nearly dropped his phone he started shaking so hard. From excitement, from nerves, from the myriad prospect that had just flown past his mind’s eye like a chaotic gay tornado. He didn’t drop it though, managing to shoot back a _‘sure wats ur address’_ before promptly collapsing face first on his bed.

It didn’t take long to get a reply. Hakyeon’s house turned out not to be too far according to google maps. Just a quick ten-minute walk. And Jaehwan was gay. He could walk it in six.

Jaehwan pulled a clean hoodie on over his head, checked his hair in the mirror, made sure he didn’t smell, and then basically jogged out the door, stomach full of butterflies.

Hakyeon looked up from the pot on the stove at a knock. How could he have humanly gotten here that quick? Hakyeon was pretty sure his student lived in the dorms, but maybe not. He took the towel off the oven handle and wiped his hands, coming over to open the door.

"Jaehwan, it's good to see you." He already had the urge to squish the younger's cheeks, just at seeing his adorable gummy smile and the way he held his fists in front of him like a bashful child. Hakyeon opened up the door, inviting him in. He leaned against it as he looked at his date appreciatively. "You look cute, dear."

The house was cute, but Hakyeon was cuter. Jaehwan did his best to behave like a gracious twenty-two-year-old man, since that was what he was, but it was weirdly difficult not to make a cute face when Hakyeon ushered him over the threshold.

“Thank you! You look- awesome.”

Stupid.

“I mean nice. You look really nice.”

Jaehwan grinned and received a grin in return. Hakyeon’s hair was a bit mussy, how it looked after a very physically strenuous dance class sometimes. It looked that way when Hakyeon really got into the dance. When he immersed himself completely, got lost in the music and the headspace and the movement that was his art. Jaehwan loved watching him dance in moments like that. Pure unbridled passion. It was a rare thing. 

"Thank you, dear. Take off your shoes and come on in. I had the pot on the burner so you could have it hot." Jaehwan tailed behind Hakyeon as he led him to the table. It was pushed against the wall of the room, four seats, though you could tell which two Taekwoon and Hakyeon used most. There was a vase placed in the middle, back towards the wall, that held those glass stones. They were all kinds of colors and filled the jar up to the lip. Beside that, was a simple stack of books with envelopes sandwiched between them. Jaehwan stayed put on the dining room rug while Hakyeon stepped into the kitchen. He spoke as he shut off the stove and made Jaehwan's bowl.

"Taekwoon made it earlier. He's with his theater friends tonight." He came back out to see Jaehwan hovering awkwardly. "You can sit down, dear." Jaehwan was quick to take his chair once Hakyeon pointed it out. The one next to Taekwoon's chair. Hakyeon smiled a little, realizing the poor thing was probably nervous. He set the bowl in front of Jaehwan, then pet his hair. "Relax and enjoy yourself. I'm not going to eat you." His smile grew at Jaehwan's face looking up at him. Cutest little thing.

Jaehwan flushed scarlet, lowering his eyes to his bowl. It smelled delicious, whatever it was. Some kind of minestrone soup if he had to guess.

“Are you not eating?” he asked, lifting a spoonful to his mouth and burning his tongue. He tried to play it off though, hoping Hakyeon wouldn’t notice. He liked this room, it was cozy. Felt like a real home. A comfort after four years spent in a shitty dorm full of freshmen and copious amounts of plywood. Hakyeon took a seat across from him and Jaehwan did his best not to stare.

"I ate before you came. Taekwoon only said he was leaving about halfway through." Hakyeon watched Jaehwan's hands. One was curled around the bowl. He had rings, one on his middle finger and two on his ring finger. Jaehwan must have felt the eyes on him though, because he shifted in his seat and put his hand under his lap. Hakyeon moved his gaze back up to his face. Jaehwan was avoiding eye contact, that much was painfully clear. No one stared that intently at a bowl of soup. Hakyeon stood, patting Jaehwan's shoulder as he passed him.

"I'm putting on some music so it's not so tense. Do you have any preference dear?" He called from the living room. Truthfully, all they really had to play on the radio were official soundtracks, and Taekwoon's sappy 80s ballads, because he was so dreadfully old and gay.

“We can play my Spotify if you have an aux. I like ballads or hip hop or most things in-between, but I have a playlist for basically any occasion,” Jaehwan called back.

Hakyeon gave him a look of blank incomprehension.

“A what?”

Jaehwan swallowed a mouthful of soup so it wouldn't dribble all over his shirt. Professor Jung was a fantastic cook, Hakyeon was so lucky to have him as a roommate.

“An aux? You know, an aux cord? To plug your phone into the speakers or whatever?”

Hakyeon cocked his head to the side, still very clearly not understanding.

“I’m unfamiliar with such a thing.”

Jaehwan winced. He’d forgotten that Hakyeon always played old fashion CD’s in dance class when he wanted music.

“Never mind,” Jaehwan called, “Anything you have is perfect.”

Hakyeon nodded and pulled out the one happy pop CD he and Taekwoon owned between them. He should have grabbed some from the car before Taekwoon left, that's where they kept the good ones at this point. He stepped in rhythm to the archway that connected the dining room to the living room. He leaned against the frame, looking to Jaehwan again as he tapped his toes on the floorboards.

"Would you like a tour, when you're done that is?" Jaehwan blinked at him, cheeks full before he forced it down.

"What?"

"A tour? I know there's not much to show, but I'd think you would at least like to know where the bathroom is." Jaehwan nodded. "Or the bedroom too I suppose," Hakyeon added, evil grin shot right at Jaehwan as he coughed. He turned and rested his back fully against the archway, closing his eyes and swaying to the melody slightly. "They're both important, considering the circumstance. Oh, and the study. I don't think you'll be interested in that but it's my favorite. We have our own kind of succulent garden set up." Hakyeon was always teased for the pride he took in their little plant babies. That and his students were all he had to show off though. He could brag about Taekwoon and now Jaehwan too, he supposed.

Jaehwan gulped down the rest of his soup, throat burning a little it was so hot, but he managed not to spill any on himself. Progress. He got up and carried his bowl to the sink, rinsing it quickly and setting it on a shiny aluminum drying rack. He was a house guest; it would be rude to leave his dishes on the table like some poor cafeteria worker was going to come by and clean it for him.

Deciding that a bit of bravery wouldn’t go amiss, Jaehwan skittered over to where Hakyeon was dancing and took his hand. Snatched it up was probably a better description, but Hakyeon didn’t pull away even if the movement was a little clumsy.

“I’d love to see your garden babies,” he said, flashing his brightest smile.

As obnoxious as it sounded, Jaehwan's encouragement and big sunshine smile had Hakyeon absolutely giddy. He pulled the younger in to drop a kiss on his cheek before turning to lead him out.

"Living room, obviously. The CD player is behind that couch and underneath of it is the other CDs, should you ever want to change it." The two couches boxed in one side of the room, a tv in the corner where both had a view. Opposite were two bookshelves, full. A window was directly across from the dining room archway. It had a lovely old kind of charm when the curtains were open, and sunlight came in. Turning directly right from the archway, "Obviously the hallway. There's some posters form shows me and Taekwoon have done. Some pictures. You can look if you like. I will warn you though, if I explain one, you tend to hear about them all." Hakyeon looked back at his own little self-deprivation, watching Jaehwan stare up at what was essentially a family scrapbook that took over and entire wall. He chose to stop walking, wait until Jaehwan finally brought his eyes back to him. Hakyeon rubbed his thumb across the younger's knuckles gently.

Jaehwan stared up at the wall of photos, looking at one of Hakyeon and Professor Jung in matching white suits, surrounded by balloons and pale pastel flowers. It was so cute, the way they were smiling, Jaehwan was almost jealous. This was the kind of best friend relationship he had always dreamed about having. Maybe Wonshik would agree to get cutesy couple photos taken together. It would require a healthy dose of aegyo but Jaehwan thought he might have a chance.

“These are really nice, I wish I was lucky enough to have someone who I got along with this well,” he said, waving at a picture of Hakyeon kissing a bored looking Professor Jung’s cheek. They were such adorable friends.

Hakyeon looked to the pictures again, nodding.

"Yes, we've known each other for years so, I guess we are close, maybe too close." Hakyeon chuckled to himself a little. It was odd looking at your own life along someone else's eyes. "We've been together since college. Probably your age. This one was around when we first met." He tapped the frame of the cheek kiss. When Taekwoon still acted tough and icy any time Hakyeon spoiled him in attention. Taekwoon said he could tell how embarrassed he actually was when he looked at the photo now.

"This is probably my favorite," Hakyeon spoke as he reached for a frame higher up on the wall. He brought it to Jaehwan and showed it to him. The two of them clinging onto one another like they might die if separated. You could see Hakyeon's beaming smile, and Hakyeon knew that Taekwoon's hidden face was covered with happy tears. It was a photo from his proposal, one sneakily taken by a friend who helped. "Taekwoon had no idea about this until later. He punched me when I saw it, but then he was the one who demanded we hang it up." He stared at the photo a moment more with a lovesick smile before remembering that he had a date next to him, one that, even though he knew about Hakyeon and Taekwoon, probably didn’t want to hear about them all night. "Anyway, let's get to the rest of the house."

Jaehwan nodded, allowing himself to be pulled along the hallway by the hand. Hakyeon kept brushing his knuckles and it was making him start to squirm. Not because it felt bad, but soft touches or... really just generally staying still had never been his area of expertise. Little things like that made him want to fidget. Or jump up and down or run around the block.

“Did you and Professor Jung move in together straight out of school?” he asked, staring at the back of Hakyeon’s head and trying to gage whether he had any competition working against him. He didn’t think there would be any, if the two professors were comfortable enough to act so cuddly, but you could never be too sure. One of them could be harboring a years-long secret infatuation or something. Maybe Jaehwan had just been reading too much spideypool fanfic recently and it had given him some wild ideas.

"Mhm, we had separate dorms in college, but we were both saving for once we got out. Why buy two when we know we're always going to be together anyway? Here's the bathroom." He flicked on the switch. Not much to see except for the counter that was slowly getting taken over by product. Another plant had taken up residence there too. A friend told them it needed a lot more humidity than the office had to offer. A little rug sat in front of the tub, and on the rack were two ridiculously tacky towels. _His_ and _His_ , folded neatly next to each other so they could be snatched up easily. Hakyeon flicked the light back off, leading Jaehwan to the only two remaining doors.

"You said you had a roommate, right?"

“Yeah, Wonshik. Kim Wonshik, you probably know him since he’s so into dance,” Jaehwan replied, trying to suppress laughter at those silly towels. Maybe he could get Wonshik some for their friendiversary. He chanced a glance up and found Hakyeon’s pretty eyes searching his face, immediately lowering them back to his feet. Being looked at so intently was weird.

“Maybe we can get a fun place like this when we graduate, although he might not want to stick around anymore after that. Our interests kind of shifted apart after sophomore year and he has been getting a bit distant lately.”

Jaehwan snapped his mouth shut. Hakyeon didn’t need to hear him whine about roommate issues that were not even real issues at all. A change of subject seemed like a good idea. “Did you always want to be a teacher?”

Hakyeon hummed, stepping into the bedroom to turn on the light there as well. Thankfully, it was tidy, even after Taekwoon had packed himself an overnight bag.

"Yes and no. I always knew I wanted to dance; I didn't care much how. My mother put me in classes as a kid and immediately I knew what I wanted. Teaching, choreography, that just kind of.. happened. I got into a production in college, found out I really loved it, then changed things around so I could teach. There's not really a tragic backstory to it, and I could never do something I hate. Office?" Even though he asked, he guided Jaehwan out before he even had a chance to answer. The rooms weren't that far apart anyway.

The office was not nearly as tidy, though of the mess, most of it remained on the desks. Another big window like the one in the living room was across from the door. The two desks sat opposite to one another, Hakyeon's with his laptop and pile of papers, and Taekwoon with keyboard still on top buried under all the essays he still had to go over. It was always very easy to tell whose side was whose. The succulents sat in the sill of the window, taking up all the space it had, some even on their desks. The larger ones that had grown beyond their tiny planters sat in pots just beneath the window. Hakyeon pulled Jaehwan over before releasing his hand and squatting down level with them.

"I named all of them, just to keep track, and just because. When you've been watering and pampering something for five years, you're going to start calling it things. I couldn't just keep calling them different pet names. I usually water them in the morning, before I wake Taekwoon up."

“So cute!” Jaehwan said, looking over all the tiny plants and the little post markers where Hakyeon had written the names. It really was cute. Super-duper cute. Jaehwan tugged on the sleeve of Hakyeon’s shirt for no apparent reason. He just wanted something to do.

“Do you think Professor Jung would mind if I peeked to see what my grade on this paper was?” he asked, only half joking. Jaehwan reached out and poked one of the less spikey plants, not too hard, just to see what it would feel like. He was getting more comfortable around Hakyeon, slowly but surely. More relaxed.

"I wouldn't tempt fate," Hakyeon answered lighthearted, now looking to Jaehwan rather than his flora family. "He has a sixth sense for figuring things out." Jaehwan was still holding onto his sleeve, which was just irrefutably adorable. "A rule of thumb, school stays in school, and everywhere else we're just Taekwoon and Hakyeon. You don't mix them together." Hakyeon stood, moving Jaehwan's hand from his sleeve to his own hand again. They just fit. He didn't want to drop the small constant intimacy. "How did you like the house then, dear?"

“It’s awesome, I really like the paint,” Jaehwan replied, nearly swallowing his tongue. It was such an insipid comment he should be shot for it. “I mean, everything is nice, your plant babies and the pictures and the- the towels, I was just looking at the wall. Sorry, words kind of just happen if I get distracted,” he clarified lamely, giving the elders sleeve a tug. Hakyeon _would_ be the type to wear dress shirts at home. Of course. He just _had_ to look perfect at all times.

“So, uh- what do you want to do now?” Jaehwan asked, feeling his ears getting warm again. His brain was rather unhelpfully supplying him with lots of things he’d never be brave enough to ask for.

Hakyeon raised up the younger's hand, kissing the knuckles lightly.

"What would you like? You have the whole house and me to yourself." Jaehwan made a kind of sputtering noise that was hard not to laugh at, at least a little. Hakyeon took pity and just led him out of the office, leaving them in the hallway, access to almost every option available. "We could sit down and talk some more. There's the TV. I would offer a dance, but I think you have to suffer through dancing with me quite enough."

"It's not suffering-"

"And then the bedroom is behind us, if you don't have reservations about first dates." He looked at his watch, as though not even noticing the comment. "I would offer to take you home, but Taekwoon took the car and it's way too late for you to be walking alone, no matter how fast you can go."

Jaehwan’s mind was throwing scenarios at him too fast for him to process, but he did manage to retain the fact that Hakyeon and Professor Jung shared a car. Teachers really did make shit money.

“Uh- no! No reservations at all! Unless you wanna talk some more which is totally fine, I left a note for my roommate saying I wasn’t sure when I would be back, so I have nowhere I need to be!” He sounded like an overexcited toddler even to his own ears. Such a pitiful display.

Hakyeon dropped his hand and instead held his waist. He pulled Jaehwan in and wrapped his arms around his middle, smiling at Jaehwan's flustered expression.

"We can do both." He kissed the younger's forehead, then spoke against it, "I promise there will be no pouncing on you tonight." His smile only grew when he heard Jaehwan audibly gulp. He was so cute and easy to work up. He saw that with the student's dreadful attempts at hitting on him. If he ever even acknowledged it, Jaehwan just… melted into himself. It was very cute and amusing.

"Kiss?" Jaehwan nodded like the offer would be gone in an instant. Hakyeon held his chin and gave him one peck, much to Jaehwan's annoyance.

"Are you always going to do that?"

"Hm?" Hakyeon only stayed far enough away to speak. Their lips still touched when Jaehwan spoke. He stumbled for words as Hakyeon ran his thumb over his student's lip.

"The- the little kiss… and then-"

"You mean you'd prefer this?" Hakyeon kissed him again, this time much more like the classroom. The hand behind Jaehwan's back pushed him in closer. He made that weak breathy noise again, an almost moan, as Hakyeon licked into his mouth. It was less the kiss before and more the one Jaehwan had been pulling for. Hakyeon went quick, he held Jaehwan close, he bit his lip. After a bite, Hakyeon pulled away and Jaehwan looked dizzy.

“Bed?” Jaehwan offered, all the blood that should be in his brain so he could think rushing straight down to his dick. The concept of logical thought had flown right out the window as soon as Hakyeon kissed him. Hakyeon kissed like it was nothing, like it was easy, like he was already familiar with the way Jaehwan’s mind worked. The way Jaehwan’s body would react. Not like this was only their second time kissing. Like it was their one-hundred-and-twenty-second time.

“Whatever you’d like dear.”

Jaehwan allowed himself to be led back down the hall and into Hakyeon’s bedroom, doing his best to steal kisses from the elder as they went. It had definitely gotten warmer inside the cute little house. Or maybe that was just Jaehwan’s core temperature skyrocketing from the way Hakyeon held him. Kissed him. Nipped at his lip and tugged gently on his hair.

“Are you clean? From what I remember, the college years can be pretty raunchy,” Hakyeon asked, backing Jaehwan up to the foot of the bed and then pushing him down onto the mattress. Jaehwan gasped.

“Yeah, I got tested a few months ago and- uh...”

“And nobody has been with you since then?”

Jaehwan groaned, looking from Hakyeon's face to Hakyeon’s hands, which were playing around the hem of Jaehwan’s hoodie.

“Yeah.”

"I'm taking this off," Hakyeon announced before sliding the hoodie off of Jaehwan and tossing it back on the bed. Jaehwan had no shirt underneath. A chastisement could wait for later though, because under all the baggy obnoxious clothes, had apparently been a soft, tiny form. Pretty skin Hakyeon would have died to have when he was younger. A soft little belly that was positively adorable. "Oh dear…"

"Is that bad? I'm sorry-"

"You look absolutely _perfect_." Hakyeon leaned down. A kiss on Jaehwan's ear, his cheek, his neck. He squirmed away at the neck, giggling a little. The laugh turned gasp at Hakyeon going at little further, grabbing the skin between his teeth, sucking it lightly. It would barely make a mark, if at all, but Jaehwan's skin was just too tempting to not steal a bite. Plus, he squirmed and whined so cute, hands clutching Hakyeon's shoulder. Hakyeon held the younger by his waist, tracing figures until goosebumps broke. He stopped biting and look at Jaehwan briefly. His face was so hot it was red, and his hands gripped the blanket under him. He squeaked as Hakyeon grabbed under his knee and pulled up, making Jaehwan lay back on the bed with Hakyeon between his legs.

“Are you positive this is what you want?”

Jaehwan nodded frantically, fighting the urge to squeeze his thighs shut. It felt like it had been a million years since he let someone get this close. Let someone undress him, actually letting someone see him without a shirt on was a pretty large milestone after his dry spell. And now his fucking teacher was peeling the clothes off him one garment at a time, laying a series of soft kisses across his stomach, on the insides of his thighs.

“Verbal consent please, dear,” Hakyeon hummed, climbing up so he was basically sitting on Jaehwan’s chest to reach for something on the nightstand.

“Yes. Please.”

Jaehwan squirmed a bit more as Hakyeon shimmied back down between his legs, uncapping a bottle of lube with a _pop_ and hoisting one of Jaehwan’s legs up so it was hooked over his shoulder. Jaehwan watched, feeling his core begin to heat again as the elder dribbled some of the clear liquid on his fingertips. Warming it in his hands.

“Breathe for me, just relax.”

Jaehwan tried breathing, tried forcing himself to relax, bright points of pain flashing behind his eyes as Hakyeon pushed a finger past his rim.

Hakyeon hushed him at the pained hiss he accidentally let slip. He rested his face against Jaehwan's leg, little kisses on his knee. He didn't move his hand.

"Easy, baby. Relax," he spoke against the younger's skin, in between kisses. His free hand was petting, just running up and down Jaehwan's thigh. The younger pushed it away though. He looked away at Hakyeon's look.

"S-sorry, light touches just… make me feel restless."

"That's alright, dear. Is this okay?" He asked with his lips against Jaehwan's skin again. A little kiss. Jaehwan nodded. "I'm going to start going, alright?" Jaehwan nodded again, gulping before speaking.

"Alright." Hakyeon eased his finger back, then repeated the motion again, slowly. Jaehwan's brows were knotted together, with a pout on his lips. Hakyeon continued to kiss his skin, praising him along the way.

"You're doing so well, dear. Such a good boy." It wasn't clear if Jaehwan whined from the name or Hakyeon's hand. He was consciously trying to relax. Hakyeon felt sympathy pang in his heart. A little bit of ache had to come before the good. Hakyeon slipped his head further down, kissing Jaehwan's thigh. Jaehwan wrapped arms around Hakyeon when he went in for a kiss and the professor's heart buzzed with a soft contentment. The movement of his finger became easier, but he didn't rush forward.

As the movement of Hakyeon’s fingers became easier and smoother, Jaehwan began shifting a little, rocking his hips down to match his pace. Taking time wasn’t one of Jaehwan’s strong suits. Everything was always fast. Impatient. He didn’t even spare the time to pamper himself when he was alone. But now Hakyeon was sitting here and being all slow, like he actively enjoyed Jaehwan’s restless whimpers.

“That’s good enough, I’m ready, please,” he whined, pawing at Hakyeon’s forearms to try and get him to hurry up.

All Jaehwan got in response was a sly smile and a sharp nip to the inside of his thigh.

“Please, pro- Hakyeon,” he tried again, cursing that slip and repeating the word ‘idiot’ over and over inside his head.

“Please what?”

Jaehwan groaned, vision flashing white for a split second when he felt Hakyeon’s slim fingers brush his prostate.

“Please hurry up and fuck me already!”

"So vulgar," Hakyeon teased, pulling off his shirt entirely rather than bothering with buttons. He chose to not mock Jaehwan's staring and practical drooling. The shirt joined Jaehwan's clothes and Hakyeon undid his pants. "I'm here being careful and sweet-"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It was good I-"

"Jaehwan, dear, I'm teasing. You're okay." He whined at a kiss cut short, only to be quiet once he saw Hakyeon pulling off his pants and briefs. _Those_ went on the floor. Abandoned while Hakyeon situated himself back between Jaehwan's legs.

"You're really hot," Jaehwan blurted out, unintentionally judging by the way he covered his mouth. Hakyeon raised a brow with a smile.

"Oh?" Jaehwan's face went red while Hakyeon grabbed the lube again, smiling to himself.

Jaehwan felt like he was in freefall.

“You’re also really big,” he squeaked, brain switching back into panic mode. It had been such a long time, and- maybe that’s why Hakyeon hadn’t been skimpy with the prep.

Hakyeon flashed Jaehwan an irritatingly pretty smile before rolling Jaehwan over onto his stomach.

“You’re too sweet.”

Jaehwan made a weird gurgling noise he was positive he’d never made before.

“And you’ve got a great ass.”

“Thanks,” Jaehwan replied, aiming for a steady voice and missing the mark entirely. He gasped as he was dragged up onto all fours, fisting the coverlet and squeezing his eyes shut when Hakyeon _finally_ thrust into him.

"Good?" He asked, rubbing hands up and down Jaehwan's back once. He could tell Jaehwan was tensing up.

"Holy shit…" Hakyeon nodded, keeping his hips still but hand slipping down to tease Jaehwan's cock. Just a little touch, holding him between two fingers.

"Take your time, dear." Jaehwan whined, finally giving in and dropping down onto his elbows so he could rest his head on the bed.

"S-sorry I rushed."

"We all get excited. Do you want to stop?"

"No!" Jaehwan squeaked. Hakyeon hummed in lieu of a laugh.

"Alright, baby."

"Please just fuck me..." Jaehwan whined into the coverlet. Hakyeon could almost _hear_ his pout. He rolled his hips once, Jaehwan moaning.

"Like that?"

"Yes, _Please_ ," Jaehwan keened. Hakyeon let go of the younger's cock, holding him by his hips instead. Nice and easy. His own clutch tightened a little at the feeling.

Jaehwan lost himself. Every push, every pull, dragging him deeper under like the waves of pleasure were a physical thing. Hakyeon’s hands were on his hips one moment then his back the next, then tangling in his hair and giving the dark brown strands a little yank.

“Please, pro- Hakyeon, harder,” he whined, trying to meet Hakyeon thrust for thrust and not just lie there panting like a dog in heat.

“That’s the second time you’ve almost called me professor,” Hakyeon hummed, and Jaehwan wished he could see him. See the humor written on his face that Jaehwan could hear in his voice. “Is there something else you’d like to call me?”

Jaehwan’s brain flipped into overdrive. Not daddy, certainly, he’d sound like he watched too much porn. He did watch too much porn but that wasn’t the point. But maybe-

“Sir?” he tried, delighting in the way Hakyeon’s fingertips pressed harder against the flesh at his hips.

"Sir-sir is nice." He gave Jaehwan his wish, going harder. He held the younger by his hair, holding him up so he could kiss that pretty neck again. Jaehwan was noisy, which just fed the professor's ego. Someone verbal in how much he was enjoying himself. He whined at a bite to his ear. "Marks okay?" Jaehwan's arm felt a little weak at the suggestion of physical proof other than his surely sore ass tomorrow.

"Y-yes." Hakyeon's teeth were immediately on his skin, the juncture between shoulder and neck. Jaehwan expected a bite, but got a hickey. Jaehwan felt dizzy with all the sensations around him, while Hakyeon's realm of reality was simplifying down to Jaehwan, his pretty skin, and his beautiful voice breaking with each squeak and moan. There was nothing else but Jaehwan begging and pushing back on him in the professor's foggy mind for the time being.

He released Jaehwan's skin and the younger immediately fell down completely, ass still held in the air by Hakyeon but the rest of him melted down into the bed. Hakyeon got the side view of the most blissful fucked out expression he had ever seen. His forehead was sweating, his eyes closed, red slick lips parted to pant and moan. Hakyeon had to ease up a little before he completely lost himself to the wonderful man under him. The love bite stuck out on his otherwise untarnished skin.

Black stars bursting behind his eyelids, Jaehwan came with a yelp. His climax had snuck up on him faster than he’d been expecting, leaving his body soft and boneless and shuddering with aftershocks of pleasure.

He kept trying to roll his hips, fuck back to meet Hakyeon’s thrusts, but all that served to do was push himself to the point of overstimulation.

Hakyeon came not long after, stripes of cum decorating Jaehwan’s ass and lower back like frosting on a cake. He collapsed on his back beside Jaehwan, immediately pulling the younger closer to snuggle. Jaehwan tried his best not to fidget.

"That..." was very nice," Hakyeon spoke against Jaehwan's forehead with a smile. They were both gross and sweaty and the bed was probably a mess now but Hakyeon felt like his bones had melted away. Jaehwan was a comforting weight on his side, and he looked just as exhausted.

"It was awesome," Jaehwan summarized, making Hakyeon laugh.

"You are so cute." He kissed his student, hugging him in a brief squeeze. "I should have said something sooner and saved you the flirting." Jaehwan put his face in Hakyeon's chest, groaning.

"It was stupid and obvious, wasn't it?"

"Obvious yes, stupid no. I found it very endearing." Jaehwan whined again.

Jaehwan hid his face in the crook of Hakyeon’s neck, not having any energy left to be truly embarrassed. His breath was returning to him now, if slowly, and he was finding it a bit easier to say still. A bit easier to simply lay there and bask in the warm glow of Hakyeon’s affection.

“You’re really fun, you know, for an old person,” he murmured, eyes slipping closed, a grin spreading across his face at the sound of Hakyeon’s snort. Hakyeon reached around and pulled the covers around them so they were in a burrito of sorts.

"Say something like that again and I'm failing you," he threatened, though with no real animosity. Before he settled in to doze off with Jaehwan, he clapped his hands behind the younger's back, the lights shutting off.

"Of course, you do," Jaehwan mumbled against Hakyeon's collarbone. The professor pinched his cheek.

"Go to sleep, brat."

Jaehwan woke the next morning, having slept better than he had in a very, very long time. He wasn't squished into a tiny twin extra-long mattress, had enough room to move his arms and legs about freely, and had a warm body pressed against his side. This what heaven must feel like, Jaehwan thought, shifting over to snag his phone from the nightstand in such a way they he wouldn’t jostle Hakyeon.

Squinting at the screen, Jaehwan saw that he had about seventy-nine missed texts from Wonshik, three missed calls _also_ from Wonshik, and that he was also _extremely_ fucking late for his morning class.

“Shit,” he sighed, managing to extricate himself from the cozy cocoon and get dressed in relative silence. He really really _really_ didn’t want to just bail the morning after like some frat bro with a hangover but there was nothing to be done. Jaehwan’s GPA hung in the balance that was the most important, no matter how lovely the man he was leaving behind.

He’d leave a note. And he’d send a good morning text once he was safely out of the house. Because he had Hakyeon’s cell number now. Which was fucking crazy.

Coffee now, though, coffee was an absolute necessity. Especially since he’d make enough for Hakyeon to have some when he woke up. That was just being polite really.

Jaehwan prepared his coffee, updating Hakyeon’s contact in his phone from ‘Unknown Number’ to three peach emojis and a heart while he drank a cup. He’d rinsed his mug, pulled his hoodie on over his head, and just opened the door when he walked smack into a very amused looking Professor Jung.

Taekwoon smiled when Jaehwan stepped back and looked at him like a deer suddenly in the headlights. He looked.. tousled. His hair was still a bedhead mess, and his hoodie was so big on him the collar hung and exposed his neck, showing what was a very safe bet to be a hickey. So Hakyeon had enjoyed his night 'alone.'

"Leaving already?" Taekwoon asked with a smile and a cocksure head tilt. Jaehwan stuttered for words, pointing behind him to the hallway, then to Taekwoon weakly, before just pushing right past him in what was likely going to become a sprint.

"Late for a lecture. There's coffee. I'm sorry professor see you tomorrow!" He nearly said it as all one sentence, tripping both over his feet and words. Taekwoon blinked, watching his student bolt away from their house. He smiled to himself, laughing to himself.

"Coffee, what a sweet kid." He stepped into the house and dropped his bag with his shoes. A lengthy interrogation with his husband was due.


	2. Chapter 2

Hakyeon shifted around at a clap, and the sounds of someone in the closet. He hummed and pulled the blanket more around himself, choosing to sleep longer.

"You can borrow whatever, dear." He yawned. "Just don't take any of Taekwoon's..."

"Not Jaehwan, love." Hakyeon turned back over, seeing Taekwoon emptying out his bag and no Jaehwan in the bed with him. "He had a lecture."

"Oh..." Taekwoon stopped putting his things away. He stepped over to the bed, a kind of cat-like smile teasing the corner of his lips.

"He made _coffee_." Hakyeon smiled at his husband, watching him put his knee on it in the process of coming on.

"Oh, he won over your heart with that one, didn't he?" That earned Hakyeon a punishing cheek pinch.

"I'm saying he's a sweet kid."

"He is." Taekwoon sat down on the edge of the bed, legs folded beside him. Hakyeon sat up, blanket falling over his legs and giving him some semblance of decency.

"How did it go?" Taekwoon almost whispered, looking at Hakyeon over his glasses. Too lazy a morning for his contacts. "I mean," his eyes wandered down Hakyeon pointedly, "other than the obvious."

"He was lovely, Taeky. He thought the house was great, I'm pretty sure he loved your food, and he liked the garden."

"You showed him the garden."

"Of course, those are our kids!" Taekwoon smiled and ducked before shaking his head. Hakyeon took up his hand gently.

"He was really good with the pictures."

"He was?"

"Mhm, no disgust, no confusion, and thank _god_ not that poor face they make when they start thinking they're just a fling."

"I hate when they do that..." Taekwoon agreed, looking away in recollection. Hakyeon caught his chin and made him look back.

"He's perfect, Taekwoon. I really think he's the one." Taekwoon scoffed.

"You said that about me."

"And has that steered me wrong yet?" Taekwoon rolled his eyes, but still gave Hakyeon a chaste kiss.

"Did you have the talk with him yet?" Their foreheads were together, eyes closed and relaxed.

"Not yet. I was going to do it this morning, but now.."

"Do you really think he'll want both of us..?" Hakyeon pulled away.

"Why else go after both of us? Knowing that were a couple?" Taekwoon avoided eye contact, shrugging.

"I don't know. Maybe he was just playing the field."

"A field made of two of his professors who are married to one another?" Taekwoon shoved his husband, huffing.

"Shut up."

"It's going to be fine, darling. He loves us, it's just a matter of letting him know we can make that work."

"Every time you're this cocky you end up being wrong." Hakyeon made an offended noise, holding his arms out.

"Ah! When have I ever been wrong?"

"The last student?"

"How was I supposed to know he'd chicken out?"

"Bangs? On me? At 30?"

"But they looked cute!"

"They looked cute on me when I was ten." Hakyeon pouted.

"You are such a sourpuss."

"Someone has to be." Hakyeon hugged onto his husband, still pouting.

"But darling! My poor heart!"

"You'll live. Now tell me about last night."

"I fed him and gave him a tour and then we fell asleep,” Hakyeon answered with attitude.

"Don't play the brat. You know what I want." Hakyeon rolled his eyes, finally getting himself out of the bed. Taekwoon stared at his naked crawling form pass him by.

"It was adorable and sweet and vanilla and-"

"What?"

"He called me sir." Taekwoon made as close to a squeal as Hakyeon had seen him do their entire relationship.

✄✄✄✄✄

Jaehwan fell across the threshold of his dorm room, all set to collapse on his bed and nap for a year, when he was _accosted_ by Wonshik. His roommate pounced on him with all the ferocity of a puppy, but with his startlingly large muscles and above average height, it was quite an alarming display. Not to mention the note he was violently shaking in Jaehwan’s face.

_“You!”_ he squealed, dragging Jaehwan inside by the scruff of the neck and tossing him bodily onto Hongbin who was waiting just inside. Hongbin, Wonshik’s on-again-off-again boyfriend, and the main reason Jaehwan was kicked out of his room so often. Hongbin, who had been playing a video game that Jaehwan had just inadvertently made him lose.

“Sorry, Bin! I didn’t mean to trip over you!” Jaehwan exclaimed, noting the burning rage behind Hongbin’s eyes and hastily backing away. Interrupting the master at work was only something one did when they had a death wish.

Wonshik gathered Jaehwan up in a hug, lifted him off his feet, and deposited him smartly on his bed. Jaehwan couldn’t hide his wince. He was sore.

“You! I thought you’d been kidnapped! I thought you were dead!” Wonshik basically shouted, shaking the note in Jaehwan’s face some more. Hongbin aimed a well-placed kick to his ankles and Wonshik yelped, thankfully backing off.

Jaehwan aimed a kick at his roommate too, for good measure. “You got the note! I said I was going out with friends! Why are you screaming at me?!”

“You don’t _have_ friends, Hwannie! I thought this was a plant! That someone was trying to cover up your kidnapping!”

On the floor, Hongbin snickered.

Jaehwan let out a long-suffering sigh. The fact that Wonshik looked serious was almost worse than the insult itself. “I have you and Bin! And Hyukkie, when I can drag him away from his hentai for long enough to have a conversation,” he replied, hanging his head.

“Yeah, well I was with Bin! And Sanghyuk doesn’t strike me as the kidnapping type, so spill! Where the fuck were you?”

“With someone...”

“Who?!” Wonshik slapped Jaehwan’s leg and the elder felt his mood instantly brighten at the thought of Hakyeon. He hadn’t had dance today which was a shame, no excuse to see that gorgeous face since this morning. But memories (and soreness) still lingered.

“You helped me plan it, you idiot!” Jaehwan exclaimed, swatting the snapback off his friend’s head. “Professor Cha!”

Wonshik’s mouth dropped open so fast it was almost comical.

“Is that why you have bite marks all over your neck? Interesting, I thought you just got mauled by a wild animal,” Hongbin chimed in, game sound effects the background music to his snide comment. Jaehwan ignored both.

“Yes! He’s so perfect, Shik, I almost died! He just texted me out of the blue and offered to feed me, and since you weren't here, I thought it should be okay! Especially after that kiss in the practice room, like _fuck_ he’s so hot-”

“I never pegged you for the ‘married professor’ type.”

“-Like honestly he's so kind! And his and Professor Jung’s- wait Bin what the _fuck_ did you just say?!”

Jaehwan and Wonshik turned to stare at Hongbin with identical expressions of shock.

“Uh, yeah... he and Professor Jung are married,” Hongbin replied, not bothering to look away from his laptop screen.

Jaehwan felt like the world was crashing down around his ears. He _wasn’t,_ in fact, the ‘married professor’ type. Not in the slightest. The mere _suggestion_ that he’s just been party to an affair... that his amazing night had really just been him being a fucking homewrecker... Jaehwan wanted to throw up.

“You seriously didn’t know? They wear rings! And live together! And just have general _‘married gay’_ vibes,” Hongbin added, swiftly executing an enemy as he spoke without even blinking.

“I wear rings!” Jaehwan snapped, waving one ring covered hand in Hongbin’s direction. He snatched up Wonshik and waved his hand as well. “Shik wears rings!”

“Yeah, that's a true statement, but are you two married?”

“I certainly hope not.”

Jaehwan hissed and kicked Wonshik in the shin. His sarcasm wasn’t appreciated at the moment.

“I bet their wedding photos are all over their house,” Hongbin muttered, oblivious to his boyfriend rolling around on the ground in pain.

“He showed me a bunch of photos on the wall but- I didn’t think-”

Jaehwan cursed under his breath, thinking back to the pictures. Hakyeon and Professor Jung in matching white suits, surrounded by balloons and pale pastel flowers. Hakyeon kissing a bored looking Professor Jung’s cheek. Hakyeon beaming and Professor Jung hiding his face while they clung to each other for dear life. Jaehwan looked around the room, trying to locate his tiny trash can because he really _did_ feel like he was going to puke. Could taste the bile, rising bitter in his throat.

“That skeezy _fuck!_ He showed me his wedding photos before he fucked me?! What kind of colossal asshole does something like that?!” Jaehwan shouted, stomping his feet for something to do that wasn’t projectile vomiting.

“A horny one, I guess,” Hongbin replied, his sage wisdom _always_ so helpful in difficult situations. Jaehwan kicked him too, just because he deserved it.

“Well what the fuck am I supposed to do now?! Drop his class?! Drop out of school?!”

Hongbin shrugged, chucking one of Wonshik's shoes at Jaehwan’s head in retaliation. “You could always tell Professor Jung and let him deal with it. Professor Cha isn’t your husband, it's not your problem.”

✄✄✄✄✄

Jaehwan was part of Taekwoon's classes that were later in the afternoon. It became a sort of ritual. He would show up early, talk to Taekwoon, sit in the same seat every day, and then send googly eyes over at Taekwoon the entire lecture. Because it had gotten so ritualistic, the class all shuffling in before any sign of Jaehwan was concerning. Taekwoon couldn't help fretting constantly checking his watch and looking to the door and Jaehwan's empty seat. He only seemed frazzled when he had left yesterday, and he didn't have a choice to avoid Taekwoon or Hakyeon, not that Taekwoon assumed he'd be that kind of person. Did he think Taekwoon would say something? What even would he say? _Hey good to see you again, how was fucking my husband_? It was three minutes until class begun.

With probably only thirty seconds to spare, Jaehwan finally came into class. And he was looking _rough_. Taekwoon was in the process of closing the door when he came in, and Jaehwan completely avoided eye contact, staring down at his shoes.

"Everything alright, Mr. Lee?" Jaehwan nodded, just getting to his seat as quickly as he could. Taekwoon had seen him occasionally dress as a real functioning adult, but not in the dark, "don’t-talk-to-me" way he was now. Taekwoon frowned, shutting the door and making a mental note to catch him at the end of the class before beginning.

Jaehwan knew he looked like shit. He hadn’t slept at all, Wonshik had kicked Hongbin out at some point and they’d just stayed up all night trying to figure out a plan of action. What to do. How to come back from such a _calamitous_ fuck up. And Sanghyuk had showed up around 3am to steal ramen and ended up sleeping on their floor. Weird and inconvenient but not unexpected. Sanghyuk was a weird kid.

But Jaehwan had stolen Sanghyuk’s sweatshirt (as repayment) for an extra oversized look, so that had been good-ish. Sanghyuk’s tops looked like dresses on Jaehwan but at least it felt like he was still in bed. The dark circles under his red rimmed eyes and croaky voice were not doing him any favors, neither was the fact that he hadn’t brushed his hair, but what could he do? _Not_ cry? _Not_ care that he’d probably ruined a marriage? Pretend like everything was normal?

He and Wonshik had decided that Jaehwan should probably switch out of both Professor Jung’s and Professor Cha’s classes. He could transfer to different blocks and keep his grades the way they were, so that was good, and Jaehwan had picked up the appropriate paperwork earlier in the day. But that would mean he’d need both their signatures to approve the switch. Jaehwan _couldn’t_ ask them. He could barely even _look_ at Professor Jung without flinching, so Wonshik was going to get the signatures for him.

Jaehwan slumped in his seat, inconspicuously sipping his energy drink and pulling his hood lower over his face. Plan of action now was _avoid._

It was hard _not_ to notice Jaehwan now. You'd think he stuck out more when he was all bright colors and cloying for Taekwoon's attention, but no.

Seeing him basically melted into his seat and hiding in his hood was like watching a house fire and being told to ignore it. If Jaehwan looked that bad though, the last thing he probably wanted was the entire class's attention on him. Taekwoon would wait until the end of class to talk, and then promptly murder whatever or whoever had done this to their boy.

Before Jaehwan had even picked up all his things, Taekwoon was over to his desk. When Jaehwan saw him standing in front of him, his expression turned to that of someone who'd just seen a real ghost. He backed away.

"Mr. Lee, can I speak with you privately?" The worried crease between Taekwoon's eyebrows grew. Jaehwan's eyes were red, with dark bags under them. The poor thing. Taekwoon's heart pained under his ribs.

"Me?" Jaehwan asked with a voice that would have been cause for fear regardless of how depressed he looked or not. Taekwoon nodded.

"I'm concerned about you."

“I’m not the one you should be _concerned_ about,” Jaehwan snapped, not caring if he sounded rude. He needed to escape. This had been _exactly_ what he was trying to avoid!

He stuffed his tablet and notebook into his backpack, keeping his eyes on the floor. _Not_ noticing the way Professor Jung had crossed his arms. The look of confusion and mild upset at Jaehwan’s effrontery.

“Sorry Professor, I’ve got to go to a meeting now, excuse me.” Jaehwan stood up as straight as he could without looking Professor Jung in the eye and tried to scoot around him. But he had momentarily forgotten about his professor’s fucking linebacker shoulders and accidentally ran into him. He started shaking a little, whether that was from the copious amount of caffeine he’d consumed, the fact that he wanted to cry again, or generally being overwhelmed, he didn’t know. Probably a little of all three.

"Jaehwan, are you trying to avoid something?" Taekwoon held him by the arm, loose, but not so loose he'd immediately slip away. Everything he was seeing screamed a cry for help. "I want to help because you seem obviously hurt. Please." Jaehwan's eyes were getting watery. He tugged his arm away, backing off with an unsteady breath. He held the straps of his bag like they would ground him. His eyes were aimed at Taekwoon's loafers. "Let me help. You can come into the office and talk, or cry, or just vent. You can trust me, Jaehwan." The student winced at _trust_. Taekwoon didn't step in like his brain told him. Caging him would make it worse. 

With great hesitation, Jaehwan turned and walked toward Professor Jung’s office. He didn’t want to, if he wanted to do anything it was run screaming in the opposite direction. But it didn’t seem like he was going to escape the situation so easily. At least the office probably had tissues in it. Maybe Jaehwan could lie. He could make up a story about someone on the LAX team being mean to him or something and then just bolt as soon as Professor Jung stopped looking at him like he was about to break down right then and there.

Tears burned in the corner of Jaehwan’s eyes, but he managed not to let them fall. Yet. that was progress he supposed.

“It’s really nothing,” he tried, taking a tissue from the proffered box and dabbing at his lash line. “Honestly, one of the jocks was being a dumbass and I didn't sleep very well and just am having a bad day so there’s no reason for you to look so worried."

Taekwoon sat on the edge of his desk in front of Jaehwan, frowning with arms crossed. Did he really think that the two of them wouldn't get over him? After everything? Oh, the poor thing probably had a complex. Taekwoon wanted to hold the students head to his chest and pet his hair until the tears went away, but he respected the boundary between them.

"I'm worried because I care about you, me and Hakyeon both. If there's an issue with someone me and him can talk-"

"No!" Taekwoon jerked back his head. Jaehwan was actually shaking. He hid his face in the tissue.

"Okay… we just want to take care of you."

"Please stop talking about him…" Jaehwan sniveled. Taekwoon squinted.

"Is there something else, Jaehwan? About Hakyeon..?" Jaehwan shook his head, now truly crying into his tissue and hands. Taekwoon slid off the desk, stepping over to the electric kettle he kept. There was still water left from the morning. He turned it on, back to Jaehwan. He slid his phone out his Pocket during the break of conversation. "Jaehwan is in my office, and he's really broken up over something. May need help." He put the phone away once he heard Jaehwan trying to stutter over words.

“No, no really it’s- fine. Just- I don't need tea, I’m fine, I’ll go, just don’t tell Hak- Professor Cha I was here, please. Just forget you even saw me today,” Jaehwan managed around his tears, wishing with every fiber of his being that they would stop rolling down his cheeks.

He couldn’t just sit here in this man’s presence knowing what he knew. Knowing what he’d done. Knowing that he’d probably ruined Professor Jung’s life. That picture kept flashing behind his eyes like a neon sign, Hakyeon beaming and Professor Jung hiding his face while they clung to each other for dear life. How happy they’d looked. All of it spoiled now because Jaehwan had been too stupid to actually take in what he was seeing. It had just never fucking _occurred_ to him that someone could be so-

A knock on the office door succeeded in pulling Jaehwan out of his panicky mental spiral, and also mercifully removed Professor Jung’s gaze from his face. Jaehwan took that opportunity to suck in a breath. He felt raw and wrung out, exhausted almost beyond the point of endurance.

“This really isn't a good time, Mr. Kim, please come back during my office hours.”

Jaehwan looked up just in time to catch a glimpse of Wonshik, eyes wide and Jaehwan’s paperwork clutched in one hand, before Professor Jung tried to shut the door.

“It _is_ your office hours though. And Jaehwan is my roommate, I can take him.”

Jaehwan ignored how much that sounded like he could be passed off like a fucking football from person to person, exclusively feeling grateful for Wonshik’s presence. He made to stand but a look from Professor Jung made him sit back down without a word.

“No, I need to talk with him now, you can wait in the hall until we’re done if you’d like.”

With that, the door was shut and Jaehwan’s one chance at escape vanished.

Taekwoon watched Jaehwan sink down into the chair once the Door was shut, like all his bones were gone and he just sunk into a puddle of his own despair. Taekwoon stepped up to the identical chair beside Jaehwan's. He sat on the arm rest; arms crossed over his chest again.

"Did something between you two happen after the other day? As far as I'm aware you two haven't contacted each other since then." Jaehwan pulled the hood up again, pulled it so far down it covered his face. Taekwoon silently got up at the beep of the kettle. He was going to make the tea regardless. Jaehwan's emotions were obviously shot. He needed to calm down. He spoke as he gently sat the tea down in front of Jaehwan,

"If he hurt you in anyway, I can promise he didn't intend to."

"It's not _me_ ," Jaehwan corrected, voice muffled to the point of almost silence. Taekwoon squinted.

The office door swung open. Taekwoon was ready to yell at Wonshik for entering against Taekwoon's wishes, but then he saw that it was Hakyeon. He had clearly _ran_ to get to Taekwoon's office. When Jaehwan looked back to him, he nearly fell out of his chair.

"What happened?"

Jaehwan felt his fight or flight reflexes kicking in at this point. How Hakyeon had the audacity to even walk into this room and speak to him?! Speak to _either_ of them?! Let alone at the same time?! As if Jaehwan wasn’t just his fucking sidepiece. Absurd.

“Nothing!” he squeaked, making a grab for his backpack and trying to cover his face with a sweater paw at the same time. Sanghyuk was going to kill him if he didn’t wash this before he gave it back because it was absolutely covered in snot.

“Why are you crying?! Who was mean to you?! I will find them and string them up by their toes to get eaten by freshman- _Taekwoon?!”_

Jaehwan risked a glance up, finding that Professor Jung had put a restraining hand on Hakyeon's shoulder. The way they were staring at each other, having a million silent conversations, was making Jaehwan want to puke again.

“I can’t do this, I’m sorry!” he exclaimed, making a dash for the door. Fucking youngish old teachers being quick... Hakyeon snatched him up and wrapped him in a hug before he made it three steps.

Despite how worn down Jaehwan seemed, he put up a lot of fight. He violently tried to get out of Hakyeon's arms, thrashing around. Hakyeon held strong though, eventually wearing Jaehwan down. He slackened in Hakyeon's embrace, panting and sniffling.

"Are you calmed down now?" Hakyeon asked with the voice of someone talking to a scared dog. Jaehwan nodded his head weakly. "If I let go, will you run off again?" Again, Jaehwan nodded. Hakyeon pet the younger's head, looking to Taekwoon. His husband's expression had said it all. _Tell him now_. Hakyeon sighed.

"Jaehwan, we need to talk."

"Please just let me go I don't want it please please just tell him yourself I can't do it," Jaehwan cried into Hakyeon's shoulder. "I'm so sorry Mr. Jung. I didn't mean…"

"What are you talking about..?" Taekwoon stepped in. They were crowding Jaehwan like fretful parents to an upset child. Hakyeon stopped Taekwoon from putting a hand on Jaehwan though. He mentioned the itchiness Jaehwan got at anything soft, or still.

“We- we slept together!” Jaehwan exclaimed, voice cracking and tears soaking into the fabric of Hakyeon’s shirt.

“I know, love...”

“No, you don’t get it! I’m a homewrecker! I fucking ruined your marriage and I’m so sorry- wait _what?”_

Jaehwan looked up at Professor Jung through watery eyes, finding a completely perplexed expression on his face. One that was mirrored on Hakyeon, when Jaehwan checked. “What do you mean you _know?!”_

“We have an open relationship, love, it was my idea that Hakyeon invite you over... did you not realize?”

Jaehwan scrunched up his face, not understanding, trying to force himself to stop crying. “I didn’t even realize you were _married_ until yesterday when my friend told me!”

"You really didn't notice?"

"Do I sound like I noticed?!" Jaehwan snapped back, wiping his tears away bitterly with his sleeve. A heavy bitter guilt sunk in Hakyeon's stomach.

"We thought you knew…"

"We're not exactly secretive," Taekwoon added. Jaehwan scowled.

"You could have at least said something! _Hey thanks for being cool about my husband_ or just a simple 'I'm fucking married' would have been nice!" You could almost see the smoke coming off of Jaehwan. He was glaring at both of them, but mostly Hakyeon. He started to smack his chest, to no effect. "Do. You. Know. How bad. I. felt?!" He used punches like they were a space bar. "I was ready to drop school! I was ready to drop off the face of the earth!"

"I wanted to talk to you about it in the morning, but you ran off," Hakyeon defended, holding Jaehwan's wrists. The younger stomped instead.

"I had a _lecture_!"

"I wanted to tell you about us after we woke up, me and Taekwoon. If you wanted both of us, if you just wanted me, if the whole non-monogamous thing was just too much for you." Jaehwan stared at Hakyeon, _squinted_ at him more of. He blinked once before spitting out a single ' _what_?'

"You were trying to get with both of us, weren't you?" Taekwoon finally chimed in again. Jaehwan made a sputtering noise, words failing him. Taekwoon's hand wasn't stopped from reaching Jaehwan this time, stroking his back.

“I am not married!” Jaehwan nearly shouted, finally succeeding at freeing himself from Hakyeon’s hug and backing up into the corner. “I’m not even dating anyone! I don’t need to provide clear cut explanations if I want to pursue two different people! And I didn’t even think anything would happen! The fact that one of you likes me back is a fucking miracle! Do you understand that?! Do you understand the difference in our circumstances, _Professor?!”_

Jaehwan was so angry he felt like he would shake himself to pieces. Angry at them for not fucking telling him what he was getting into, angry at himself for being too stupid to realize what was going on, angry at literally every single fucking thing he could think of just then because this _wasn’t fair._ If everything was alright between them and between them and him, he shouldn’t be feeling this way! He shouldn’t have had to beat himself up for twenty-four hours because the _responsible adults_ had left him out of an important conversation.

“I need to go, now,” Jaehwan snapped, finally able to pick up his bag and slinging it over one shoulder. He couldn’t run out of that room, away from the two of them, fast enough. And thank fucking god above, they didn’t stop him going this time.

Jaehwan needed to go somewhere quiet and think. Or, rather, go somewhere and fucking run all his frustration off. He’d go to the gym, he decided, snatching a startled looking Wonshik’s hand and dragging him out of the building. Fresh air. Exercise. Sleep. And then preferably a healthy amount of liquor. That’s what Jaehwan needed.

"Taekwoon, love, please at least sit up, or say something." Taekwoon just resolutely ignored him, continuing to glare at the window. After he and Hakyeon got into the car to go home, Taekwoon was shut off. He didn't reply to Hakyeon, and he stayed curled up into himself. When they got home, he fell face first into lying on the couch and only moved to turn onto his side.

"We broke him, Hakyeon," Taekwoon finally mumbled, eyes not moving from the curtains. Hakyeon sighed and moved his husband's legs, sitting down beside him.

"We did not _break_ him."

"He thought he was the worst person on earth. We made him think he broke our marriage."

"Taekwoon, he is going to be fine." The professor curled into himself further.

"He probably hates us now.."

"Come here," Hakyeon insisted gently. He could see where this was heading, a guilty spiral. Taekwoon had an anxious heart. Sometimes it ate him alive, or at least tried to. Hakyeon pulled his husband out of his wallowing and held him. Taekwoon put his face in Hakyeon's shoulder.

"I feel awful.."

"Don't, it's my fault. I was the one who should have said something sooner."

"But-"

"Shh, easy. You didn't do anything, love. Just sit with me." Taekwoon sighed, giving up and letting Hakyeon hug onto him. He felt exhausted already. Hakyeon pet his head like a cat, lulling him to calm down.

It had mostly slipped to the back of their minds by Sunday morning. Taekwoon had papers to grade, and Hakyeon had to review steps for Monday's class. There was a bitter taste in Hakyeon's mouth going over said steps and thinking how, because of him, Jaehwan wouldn't be part of the class anymore, but dwelling on it was interrupted by knocking at the door.

Jaehwan stood on the doorstep of Hakyeon and Taekwoon’s house with his heart in his throat. He felt like he was going to spontaneously combust. Nervous energy running through his veins like lightning.

He’d been a dickhead. Well, Hakyeon has also been a dickhead to a certain degree but the fault mostly lay with Jaehwan. It’s not like they’d been trying to keep any of this a secret from him or pull the wool over his eyes, he’d just been too dense to open those eyes and _look_ at what was right in fucking front of him.

He may have gone a little overboard with the flowers though. Two giant bouquets of pretty sterling roses that he thought would complement the decor of their home better than red. And two new succulent babies just as a cherry on top. And he’d even dressed like a grown man for a change, going so far as to steal Hongbin’s ‘interview button-up’.

Jaehwan knocked on the door again, praying they would let him say his piece.

The last thing Hakyeon expected to open the door to was a terrified looking Jaehwan being swallowed up and blotted out by the plants in his arms. They stared at each other for a moment, silent. Jaehwan gulped and Hakyeon stepped back to let him in.

"Taekwoon, please come out here." Hakyeon could see Jaehwan go a little weak kneed. Taekwoon stepped out of the office.

“...Jaehwan?" The younger cleared his throat, looking back and forth at them both.

“I adopted you some new plant babies,” Jaehwan tried, the sentence sounding lame even to his own ears. “As an apology for being both a dumbass and a dickhead, as well as overreacting and throwing a tantrum in your office.”

He looked from one to the other, trying to gauge the reaction he was getting. A completely blank expression from Taekwoon, and a sort of bemused smile from Hakyeon. Could be worse, at least they hadn’t robbed him and thrown him out.

“I’m sorry for acting like a child,” he added, hoping one of them would say something before he started fidgeting.

"I'm sorry I put the discussion anywhere but first," Hakyeon spoke first, cutting through the tension. He stood with arms still crossed over his chest, but little smile not entirely unwelcoming. He and Jaehwan nodded at one another.

"You don't...hate us?" Taekwoon took a meek step forward, closer to Jaehwan, and his heart ached. He had really fucked things up among them.

"I wouldn't be apologizing if I did," he quipped, before dropping his head, "sorry."

"I thought," Taekwoon started, stepping in again, "I thought we really hurt you. That you would be so angry and guilt ridden you'd do something terrible and that we had ruined this entire year if not period of your life for you. We thought it was so obvious that we didn't tell you and so-"

"Taekwoon..." Hakyeon spoke gently, interrupting his husbands rambling. Taekwoon sniffled and Jaehwan heart shattered into approximately thirty million pieces.

"I was upset, for like a day, but- but then I realized how stupid I was being and I realized that I was just acting like a huge baby. I didn't mean to scare you, Taekwoon. I was just-I didn't know how-" Jaehwan was interrupted by a hug. It wasn't Taekwoon running into him and squeezing the breath out of him, it was a slow walk and loose arms being wrapped around his waist, face in his collarbone and sniffled loud and clear. Hakyeon took what was in Jaehwan's hands, putting them on the dining room table.

“Really, I’m sorry,” Jaehwan reiterated, hiding his face in Taekwoon’s hair. It was different hugging him than it was hugging Hakyeon. More like being wrapped in a large, warm blanket.

“Is that the only reason you came? To apologize so we wouldn’t fail you or something?” Hakyeon asked, leaning up against the counter with his arms crossed.

Jaehwan bit his lip, worrying it between his teeth. Heart pounding.

“No,” he whispered, hoping that Hakyeon could read the sincerity in his eyes. “I missed you.”

Hakyeon slackened. He couldn't truly stay upset when Jaehwan was looking at him with soft puppy dog eyes and holding Taekwoon. 

"I missed you too, but you know there's not a me without Taekwoon now."

"I do. I meant both of you. I missed you and Taekwoon." Words piled on Jaehwan's tongue when he was met with quiet. "I want to give both of you a chance and I feel really bad for what I did, and you were both probably the one good part of like actual classes. I don't think I'd be as happy somewhere else-" Jaehwan was silenced by Taekeoon, the professor putting his fingertips on Jaehwan's lips. The wedding ring was actually rather pretty, now that Jaehwan was actually noticing it. Taekwoon more so though, with his round old man glasses and his little smile.

"We missed you too, Jaehwan. I wouldn't want you to go anywhere else." Jaehwan smiled, a little giggle unintentional coming up just from the stress of this whole ordeal on his shoulders. Taekwoon smiled right back at him.

"Just kiss already." Jaehwan immediately went red, sputtering at Hakyeon who was grinning at the counter. Somehow, his flaming cheeks got even hotter because Taekwoon turned Jaehwan's head back to face him. Now, the smile seemed a little coy.

"May I?" Jaehwan, a useless gay, just wordlessly nodded.

Taekwoon kissed him, then, kissed him slow. Gentle and slow but that didn’t mean Jaehwan’s mouth burned any less. He inhaled sharply, through his nose, trying not to freak out. Or squeal. Or generally make a fool of himself in any way.

Jaehwan slung his arms around Taekwoon’s neck. Kissing him back. Just letting it happen. No reason to overthink or panic, not when he could simply stand there and hold this person and drown in the sweet affection.

“You taste like earl grey. And sugar,” Jaehwan hummed, once he’d pulled away a bit to breathe. He tangled a hand in Taekwoon’s black hair and grinned like a lovesick fool. He couldn’t have been able to stop smiling if he’d tried.

Hakyeon stepped away from the counter, over to the happy little duo. He placed a hand on Jaehwan's lower back while Taekwoon rested his head on Jaehwan.

"Shoo, mine," Taekwoon dismissed. Hakyeon pinched his cheek, smiling at the attitude.

"Don't start setting a bad example already." He gave Jaehwan's cheek a kiss, making him giggle boyishly. "We still have to go over the rules."

"Rules?!"

✄✄✄✄✄

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nestra: Sanghyuk is a cryptid lolol

**Author's Note:**

> Clytemnestrasrevenge:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/nestras_rvng)  
> [Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/nestras_rvng)  
> [Tumblr](https://clytemnestrasrevenge95.tumblr.com)
> 
> MonsterBoyf:  
> [Tumblr](https://minoru-hayashi.tumblr.com)  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/russAntri)  
> [DA](https://www.deviantart.com/rus-ant)


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